


Nurture

by chartreuseblueandyellow



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:15:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26043334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chartreuseblueandyellow/pseuds/chartreuseblueandyellow
Summary: Mac watch amazed as this seemed to work and the baby slowly stopped crying, and after some time, when Riley started making faces at her, the baby’s face lit up and she even started smiling.A feeling blossomed in Mac’s chest at the sight and he was amazed by how strong it was.
Relationships: Angus Macgyver/Riley Davis, Riley Davis & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 135





	Nurture

**Author's Note:**

> It may be overused but I don’t care. I love the “otp have to take care of a child” trope, and that’s what I wanted to write so that’s what you’re gonna get.  
> Ngl, this is pretty cheesy and parts of it, in my opinion, are unrealistic for the characters but I wanted to read it therefore I'm going to write it.  
> Love to hear what you guys think, enjoy :)

Mac followed Riley as they ran out of the room before their DIY explosion went off. Usually they’d try something more subtle but, since the cartel already knew that they were there, Mac decided, why not? 

There was chatter that this cartel had gotten something which could force those in the government to not go through with proposed regulations which would make it almost impossible for them to ship their goods. They had to take the blackmail material back before the cartel could put it into play. 

They ran to find Desi so they could get out before the current chaos they were in got worse, but as they ran to the room she had last been in they heard a noise and Mac looked at Riley in concern.  
Nodding at each other, they charged into the room, ready to face whatever was going on, but both immediately stopped, completely shocked and confused.

Desi stood, a baby in her arms.

The little girl was bawling and Mac thought that Desi looked like she was about to join in. 

“What the…?”  
An unusually rattled Desi turned, only realising that they were there after hearing Riley’s voice over the wailing.

She looked at them with a desperate plea.  
“It was just lying here alone and I didn’t think we should leave it alone but it’s crying and I don’t know what to do.”  
Desi was awkwardly holding the baby with one arm and giving her hesitant pats on the head with the other, and Mac didn’t know much (or anything really) about babies but even he had a feeling she wasn’t doing it right.

Riley, apparently over the shock of seeing Desi with a baby, practically ran forwards while shaking her head.  
“Ok, stop. Just give her here.”

Relief clearly visible on her face, Desi handed the baby over to Riley who cradled her in her arms. Riley instinctively started slowly swaying and while softly patting the baby’s back, made gentle cooing noises. 

Mac watch amazed as this seemed to work and the baby slowly stopped crying, and after some time, when Riley started making faces at her, the baby’s face lit up and she even started smiling.  
A feeling blossomed in Mac’s chest at the sight and he was amazed by how strong it was.  
He was also confused.

What was this warmth that was spreading through his chest at the sight of Riley making silly faces at a baby and why was it happening?  
He knew he could spend hours on end analysing what his feelings meant but, because they were still in enemy territory, he compartmentalised it to unpack another time and focused on something more important.  
“What’s a baby doing here?”

Riley looked up at him and after thinking for a bit said, “we looked everywhere but couldn’t find the blackmail material the cartel has,” she looked down at the baby in her arms and slowly added, “maybe it’s not something digital like we thought it was?”

Mac and Desi followed Riley’s gaze to the child.  
“The baby?”  
Mac agreed with the surprise in Desi’s voice but he had a feeling that Riley was right.

Desi walked to the crib and came back with a blanket in her hands.  
“This was with her. The name Maiya is embroidered onto it.”

Riley whispered to the baby.  
“Are you Maiya baby girl?”  
The baby smiled up at her and Riley looked at him and Desi.  
“Well. We can’t leave Maiya here.”

Mac nodded.  
“Okay let’s go then. The explosion will go off soon and we don’t want to be close when it does.”  
They nodded and after Riley wrapped the blanket around Maiya, they all ran out. 

To say that Matty was shocked when they walked into the war room holding a baby was an understatement. 

They explained the situation and their theory and because they had the child’s name, Matty was able to confirm that they had been right about why she was there.  
Maiya’s mother was a congresswoman, the main pusher for the new regulations. She had to go out of town overnight for an urgent meeting and had left her daughter in the hands of her trusted nanny and a few guards.  
Evidently the guards hadn’t helped though and while Matty had alerted local law enforcement, the nanny and guards weren’t anywhere to be found.

The congresswoman was called and she was on the next flight over.  
It meant though, that they would have to take care of Maiya for the next hour or so. 

Riley was gently swaying and rocking the baby and he, Desi and Matty watched her, not really sure what to do to help.

Desi, seeming genuinely interested in the answer, asked Riley,  
“How are you so good with kids?”

She shrugged.  
“I had a lot of younger cousins growing up so I guess I’m just used to them ya’know?”

Mac supposed that made sense and it also explained why he wasn’t so comfortable with babies. It had been just him and his dad mostly and then after that him and his grandpa. He never really had any interaction with babies. 

After making a few more silly faces at Maiya (Mac’s heart melted at how cute it was), Riley looked up at them.  
“Does anyone else want to hold her?”

Matty smiled but shook her head.  
“Babies are cute, but admittedly from afar.”

Riley shrugged, as if to say fair enough, and turned her gaze to Desi who just laughed.  
“Yeah I held her before and honestly neither of us liked it.”  
They all laughed at that and Mac had to agree. Neither of them had looked very comfortable when he and Riley had first walked in.

Her gaze turned to him and he gave a nervous chuckle at her questioning look.  
“Honestly I’ve never really interacted with babies, so I think she’s safer with you.”  
He also silently admitted to himself that he really liked watching Riley interact with the baby so he didn’t want to get in the way of that. But he'd never say that out loud. 

He didn’t want to hold her but was still intrigued, so walked closer to Riley who was replying in the same random noises that Maiya was making. 

As he approached her, Riley looked up and smiled then, laughter in her voice, whispered to Maiya.  
“Hey baby girl, do you know that Mac here is absolutely terrified of you?”

He just laughed and shook his head at Riley and, to prove her wrong, reached out and patted Maiya’s hand.  
At the movement, she clasped his pinky with her entire fist and Mac was surprised by just how much he loved that small action.  
Looking up from Maiya to Riley, he returned the beaming smile she was giving him.

“See, there’s no need to be scared of her. She likes you.”

They stayed like that for a while, Mac surprising himself by how much he enjoyed it, but all of a sudden Maiya vomited slightly onto Riley’s shirt.  
Mac stepped back, surprised that Riley wasn’t too fazed by it but also worried about Maiya. He looked up at Riley worried, but she just chuckled at his concern.  
"Babies barf a lot, and this is pretty tame but -" she scrunched up her nose, "- it does smell a bit, so I think I'm gonna go quickly change into a spare shirt."  
Mac nodded but froze at her next words.  
"Can you please hold her for a sec Mac?"

Seeing his reaction she just laughed.  
“You’re happy to face down armies with just your swiss army knife and the junk around you but holding a baby is what makes you scared?”

He huffed, having nothing to say because it _was_ a valid point, and Riley just laughed more at his silence. 

She came close to him and directed how he should have his arms. Once she had reassured him enough that he’d be fine, she gently handed Maiya over to him and he froze because she was _so unbelievably tiny and light_ that Mac was genuinely afraid any slight movement he made might drop her. Maiya was so small and her head was so delicate that Mac couldn’t help but slightly freak out. 

He wasn’t kidding when he said he’d never really interacted with children. In fact, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever held a baby before.

Riley stood tight against him, the two of them forming soft walls either side of Maiya and as she smiled up at him, and as the warmth from her and from Riley surrounded him, Mac couldn’t help the flare in his heart and the slow smile that spread across his face.  
He looked away from Maiya who (surprisingly to him) looked perfectly comfortable in his arms to Riley who was beaming at him.  
“See? You’re a natural.”  
He beamed back and they both looked back at the happy baby between them.

He loved the comforting warmth that having a baby in his arms and Riley next to him brought that he didn’t even mind the smell that much. (Any other time it would’ve bothered him because it _was_ pretty bad. How did such a small bit of vomit have such a bad smell?)  
Riley took a step back and Mac was surprised at how much he missed her close to him (though he didn't miss the smell). 

She studied the way he was standing and gave an amused grin.  
"You don't have to stay frozen you know. In fact, they like it when you move.”

He supposed that to be true, considering Maiya had liked it when Riley swayed her from side to side and, trying to replicate that, he carefully did the same.  
Riley took one look at his hesitant movements and shook her head but laughed.  
“Yeah okay, I guess that'll do for now.”

She headed for the door but turned back just before she left the room. Seeing the panicked look he was sure he had, she gave him a reassuring smile.  
“Don't worry, I'll be quick.”  
He nodded and she left. 

He kept on with his stiff movements, not confident enough to try something else.  
Desi laughed from her seat.  
“I think you’re meant to move more smoothly than that.”

He instantly countered back.  
“Like you can say much.”

Matty laughed at his childish response and Desi put her hands up, admitting defeat. Rolling his eyes, he added, “yeah well Maiya doesn’t seem to mind.”  
And sure enough, once again surprising him, Maiya seemed to be fine, even comfortable in his arms. Even, with what he could admit, was very stiff swaying. 

“You do seem to be doing a pretty good job Blondie.”

“Only because Riley told me what to do.”

“She’s pretty good with kids huh?”

He turned to Desi and smiled.  
“Yeah she's pretty good. If she wasn’t here and it was up to the three of us to take care of Maiya, I think she wouldn’t be as happy right now.”  
Both Desi and Matty smiled and agreed. 

True to her word, Riley came back quickly, dressed in one of the spare shirts she kept at work.  
“Please take her now.”

She shook her head at the desperation in his voice while walking into the room.  
“Well, she's not crying and looks pretty comfortable so I'd say you're doing a good job.”

Desi spoke up from where she was lounging on the seat.  
“Well you’re definitely doing better than I did.”  
Riley just shook her head at them both but thankfully took Maiya into her arms who, seeing that Riley had come back, started making happy cooing noises. 

A few minutes later however, Maiya seemed to get fussy and Mac was concerned until Riley assured him that it was probably just because she was tired.  
While cradling Maiya in her arms and gently patting her back, Riley started walking aimlessly around the room. 

Given that Riley was trying to get Maiya to sleep, he, Desi and Matty automatically stayed quiet, Matty working on something on her laptop and Desi simply lounging on her seat.  
So when Riley started singing ‘Can’t help falling in love’ to sooth the babies fussing, it was clear in the silent room.  
Mac had only ever heard Riley hum or very quietly sing under her breath so hearing her sing out loud was amazing and confirmed what he had suspected.

Riley had an absolutely _amazing_ voice.

She sang softly and gently swayed with the softest smile on her face, and apparently Maiya felt the same way about Riley as he did in this moment, because the child looked completely at peace with a content smile on her face. Mac couldn’t help but think what a fitting song she was singing. 

Riley kept walking around and Mac watched her as she did. He had known her for years but had never really seen this side of her.  
He was fascinated by it.  
She was so gentle and soft, and he definitely knew she had that side to her, but it seemed to amplify when she was with Maiya. It brought a warmth to Mac’s chest that he didn’t know how to deal with. 

He looked over to Desi and Matty to see their reactions, but neither seemed too bothered. Matty was doing something on the laptop, mostly likely updating someone on their current situation, and, after the earlier mission, Desi seemed to be resting with her eyes closed.  
He turned his attention back to Riley who was still walking around and singing. 

Leaning against the wall, he used the time to analyse the feelings from earlier he had compartmentalized. Clearly, seeing Riley interact with a child had emphasized the affection he felt for her. But the word affection just didn’t seem to do the feeling he had felt at the sight justice.  
He had broken up with Desi more than a month ago and since then, he had felt these sorts of feelings towards Riley. Though, if he really made himself take a step back and critically analyse his thoughts and feelings, he had felt this way about Riley long before then, but it was only after breaking up with Desi that his subconscious really allowed himself to feel them. 

The sound of Riley’s voice getting closer to him pushed him out of his thoughts and as she walked past him while doing rounds of the room, she smiled at him through her singing.  
He returned the smile and as she walked away, he cleared his mind and let himself relax to the sound of Riley’s voice. 

It was almost half an hour later and Maiya seemed to finally fall asleep. After a few more rounds around the room, Riley walked towards the free armchair and slowly sat down, careful not to wake Maiya as she did. 

From where he stood in the corner of the room, he realised he was too far away from her for his liking. Wanting to be closer, he walked over. 

Riley looked up and, meeting his gaze, gave him a soft smile. He gestured towards the arm of the chair and when she nodded, he gently sat down on it, careful not to jostle the chair too much to wake Maiya.  
He found himself automatically leaning towards Riley and was pleasantly surprised to find she was doing the same so she ended up leaning on him. Mac could feel the vibration of Riley quietly humming while Maiya stayed blissfully asleep in her arms. 

And as Riley leaned against him with Maiya in her arms, a thought, which he had never really considered before, flashed into his mind. 

_I want to be a dad someday._

Woah. 

But now that he had thought about it, he couldn’t help but think what his future children would look like.  
Black hair and brown eyes were the dominant genes so his children would have them over his fair looks.  
He could instill in them the love for science at an early age and Riley could teach them computers, and together they could-

Wait. 

_What…?_

Why did his mind automatically think about Riley as his life partner and why was it so natural to think that, that he didn't even realise straight away what he was doing?  
With them leaning against each other and Maiya peacefully asleep in Riley’s arms, it almost seemed like they could be in their home and putting their child to sleep but woah! that was a dangerous line of thought to go down. 

Shaking his head, he tuned back into the feeling of Riley humming and thought about his earlier thoughts.  
He had never really considered being a father before and analysing his own thoughts, he realised a large part of that was because of his own. His dad hadn't been the greatest and, even though Mac would try not to be like him, he felt like it might just end up happening anyay.  
So many times Mac had seen people turn into their parents, even if they didn't want to, and he really didn’t want that happening to him.  
Though, if he had a partner like Riley, who he knew would make an amazing mother, maybe it wouldn’t be too bad. 

But his mind had gone down that dangerous path again and he had to quickly reel it back in. Thankfully Matty helped with that and both he and Riley looked up as she quietly started talking.

“Congresswoman Gomez landed and she should be here in a few minutes.”

Riley looked up at him and gave him a relieved smile which he returned and they both automatically looked down at Maiya. Riley whispered to her while gently stroking her hair.  
“Hey baby girl, your mom is coming soon.”  
Maiya shifted slightly and her eyes started to flutter open. 

They watched Maiya slowly wake herself up but after a while, Mac shifted his gaze to Riley, who was watching the child with the softest smile on her face.  
It was a beautiful sight. 

Matty spoke up again.  
“The congresswoman is here now.”

Riley shifted, getting ready to stand up, so Mac leaned away from her. His right side suddenly felt cold now that he wasn’t pressed up against her. Riley rearranged the sleepy, but now awake, Maiya in her arms and carefully stood up.  
“C’mon baby Maiya, let’s get you back to your mom.”

She looked up at him but her smile was interrupted by a small yawn. He grinned at her.  
“You ready to sleep too?”

“I can’t lie, a nap would be nice.”

He laughed then followed her and Matty out of the war room, Desi following behind them. Congresswoman Gomez, followed by two bodyguards, came up the hallway and seeing Maiya safe in Riley’s arms, ran forward with tears in her eyes. 

Riley handed Maiya over who, recognising her mother, stretched out her arms with a sleepy smile on her face. The congresswoman hugged her daughter close, whispering soft reassurances to her and giving them space, Riley stepped back and stood by his side. 

After a while, congresswoman Gomez looked up at all of them with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face.  
“Thank you all so much for keeping my baby girl safe.”

Riley spoke up.  
“Of course congresswoman. We’re glad we could help.”

The congresswoman gave them a final nod of gratitude and Matty walked and talked with her as she left the building, the two bodyguards following.  
There was silence for a few moments as they watched the group leave. 

Feeling all the emotions of the thoughts that had been in his mind during the day, and feeling the fondness for Riley growing in him, he felt like he had to stay something.  
He nudged Riley and feeling her gaze on him, but not being able to look her in the eye, he faced forward and said,  
“If… someday… you choose to be… you’d make an amazing mother.”

At the continued silence he got in response, he turned to her and saw that she looked surprised but pleased and slightly flustered at his out of the blue statement.  
“Thanks,” and her gaze softening, she added, "and you'd make an amazing dad."

He couldn't help but scoff slightly and she touched his upper arm while giving him an earnest look.  
"I know, because of your own, you don't think you'd make a good dad but I genuinely know you'd make an amazing one Mac."  
He stared at her and at the genuine tone of her words.  
He was just… amazed. 

Amazed because she, who was excellent with children, thought that he'd be a great dad but, more importantly, amazed that, even though he had never told her that, she knew him well enough to deduce it for herself. 

He cleared his throat.  
“Coming from you, that means a lot Riles.”

She smiled softly at him and, after holding her gaze for a few moments but not knowing how to deal with the warmth and affection for Riley rising within him, he cleared his throat again and changed the subject.  
“So. Does Matty need us for anything else today?”

“Nah,” and grinning at him, she asked, “wanna go play skee ball?”

“You’re on.”

They started making their way out of the building and as Riley joked about his science skills not being enough to beat her, he basked in her presence and pushed the thoughts of her as his life partner to the back of his mind, not to be forgotten, but to be thought about later.


End file.
